Electronic height sensor
First Claim
1. A vehicle attitude control device operable to change the attitude of said vehicle in response to changes in first and second electromagnetic fields, said vehicle attitude control device comprising:
- a first member defining a chamber;
a second member telescopically movable within said chamber;
first means for sensing changes in said first electromagnetic field;
second means for sensing changes in said second electromagnetic field;
means for changing said first and second electromagnetic fields in response to relative displacement of said members;
a source of pressurized fluid for supplying pressurized fluid to and from said chamber; and
a control circuit for effecting actuation of said source of pressurized fluid in response to changes in said first and second electromagnetic fields.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle leveling strut of the type having a direct-acting hydraulic shock absorber provided with a reciprocable piston rod having a dirt shield mounted thereon. A tubular rolling diaphragm member secured at one end to the shock absorber and to the opposite end to the dirt shield and defining therewith a variable volume chamber adapted to be selectively pressurized and de-pressurized for controlling the distance between the sprung and unsprung portions of an associated vehicle. Located interiorly of the pressurizable chamber and concentrically positioned between the shock absorber and fixedly mounted to the dirt shield is a generally tubular support member upon which is mounted at least one pair of electrical coil windings for sensing changes in the electromagnetic field of each coil winding. Associated with the shock absorber axially moving through the tubular support member are means for changing the electromagnetic fields of the coil windings so as to provide a control signal which effects actuation of a pressurized fluid supply source.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A vehicle attitude control device operable to change the attitude of said vehicle in response to changes in first and second electromagnetic fields, said vehicle attitude control device comprising:
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a first member defining a chamber; a second member telescopically movable within said chamber; first means for sensing changes in said first electromagnetic field; second means for sensing changes in said second electromagnetic field; means for changing said first and second electromagnetic fields in response to relative displacement of said members; a source of pressurized fluid for supplying pressurized fluid to and from said chamber; and a control circuit for effecting actuation of said source of pressurized fluid in response to changes in said first and second electromagnetic fields. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An air adjustable leveling strut connecting the sprung and unsprung portions of a vehicle, said shock absorber operable to change the attitude of said vehicle in response to changes in said first and second electromagnetic fields, said air adjustable leveling strut comprising:
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a hydraulic direct acting shock absorber having a piston, cylinder and dirt shield; a piston rod coupled to said piston and extending axially from one end of said cylinder; a generally tubular diaphragm member defining a pressurizable chamber with said dirt shield and said cylinder; means for supplying pressurized fluid to and from said chamber; means for changing said first and second electromagnetic fields, said means operably associated with said cylinder; a generally tubular height sensing device concentrically disposed between said cylinder and said dirt shield within said chamber and secured therein, said height sensing member operatively supporting and positioning first and second electrically conductive coil windings radially encircling said support tubular member which are operable for sensing changes in said first and second electromagnetic fields in response to relative axial displacement between said cylinder and dirt shield; and a control circuit controlling energization of said pressurized fluid supply means; whereby said first and second electrically conductive coil windings define three discrete axial displacement positions of said shock absorber cylinder relative to said dirt shield such that the axial position of said means for changing said electromagnetic fields which is operably associated with said cylinder produces a control signal corresponding to its axial position below, between, and above said first and second windings so as to energize said pressurized fluid supply means to change the vehicular attitude accordingly. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A height sensing device for an air adjustable leveling strut of the type having a hydraulic direct acting shock absorber, a dirt shield, and a pressurizable chamber adapted to be supplied with pressurized fluid, said device sensing changes in an electromagnetic field and comprising:
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a generally tubular support member concentrically disposed between said shock absorber and said dirt shield within said chamber; means for securing said support member to the inner peripheral surface of said dirt shield; at least one pair of electrically conductive coil windings radially encircling said tubular support member, said windings axially aligned on said member to define at least three discrete height sensing positions corresponding to three axial displacement positions of said shock absorber relative to said dirt shield; and an air tight electrical connector member mountable within an access opening passing through said dirt shield, said connector electrically connecting said windings to an external control circuit. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of changing the attitude of a vehicle in response to changes in first and second electromagnetic fields, said vehicle having sprung and unsprung positions, said method comprising the steps of:
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connecting an air adjustable leveling strut between sprung and unsprung portions of said vehicle, said air adjustable leveling strut comprising a hydraulic direct acting shock absorber having a piston, cylinder, dirt shield and a generally tubular diaphragm member defining a pressurizable chamber with said dirt shield and said cylinder; providing first and second means for sensing changes in said first and second electromagnetic fields, said first and second means for sensing being concentrically positioned between said cylinder and said dirt shield within said pressurizable chamber; changing said first and second electromagnetic fields in response to relative axial displacement of said air adjustable shock absorber between sprung and unsprung portions of said vehicle; and actuating a source of fluid pressure to introduce or exhaust pressurized fluid to said air adjustable shock absorber so as to change the attitude of said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A vehicle leveling strut connectable to a source of pressurized fluid for changing the attitude of said vehicle, said leveling strut comprising:
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a damper having a piston and rod assembly reciprocably confined within a first cylinder with a first end of said piston rod extending axially from one end of said first cylinder; a second cylinder concentric with and radially outward from said first cylinder, said second cylinder secured to said first end of said piston rod for reciprocable movement therewith; chamber means for providing a fluid-tight pressurizable chamber between said first and second cylinders; displacement sensing means for sensing the relative axial displacement between said first and second cylinders, said displacement sensing means disposed between said first and second cylinder and capable of reciprocable movement with said second cylinder, said displacement sensing means including first and second coil means for generating first and second electromagnetic fields, respectively; field changing means for changing one of said first and second electromagnetic fields in response to axial displacement of said first cylinder relative thereto, said field changing means operably associated with said first cylinder; and a control circuit for sensing changes in one of said first and second electromagnetic fields and energizing said pressurized fluid source in response thereto, said first and second coil means defining three discrete axial displacement positions of said first cylinder relative to said second cylinder such that the axial position of said field changing means relative to said first and second electromagnetic fields generates an electrical control signal for energization of said pressurized fluid source to selectively charge the attitude of said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification